


Dark Spider of Gotham City

by TheMadTargaryen



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman: The Telltale Series (Video Game), DCU (Comics), Marvel (Comics), Venom (Comics), Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Batman References, Batman is gone, F/M, Gen, Gotham City - Freeform, Gotham City is Terrible, Gotham needs a hero, I have been wanting to do a Venom-Batman crossover for a long time, Venom becomes new hero of Gotham
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 22:46:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29741019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMadTargaryen/pseuds/TheMadTargaryen
Summary: Batman is gone and Gotham is overrun with criminals, making it the perfect place for Venom and his host, Bash Blackwell. Under the guise as billionaire co-owner of Mercer industries, Bash Blackwell is taking it upon himself to clean up the city and deal with the threat that is The Children of Arkham.
Relationships: OC/Selina Kyle





	Dark Spider of Gotham City

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first of many spin-offs featuring my Dark Spider character, Bash Blackwell, and will take place in the Telltale game series, with a few changes to accommodate my OC.  
> Just an FYI, this story is completely separate from my other Dark Spider story and will have no effect on each other. This is purely AU with my OC in the DC Universe.  
> I think that is all I have to say. Enjoy the story.

**Dark Spider of Gotham City**

**CH.1**

**Anti-hero**

The cool spring evening was like any other in the cosmopolitan city of Metropolis. The city that never seemed to sleep. Even now, so late at night, the city was brighter and more alive now than it does during the day.

The Downtown district remained the busiest and the most vibrant as it is the heart of the vast city. The many towering skyscrapers that make up the district lit up the clear night sky like a great beacon that can be seen for miles beyond the city's limits.

High above the vast city, A lone figure of a young man perched himself atop one of the tallest skyscrapers towering over the large Downtown area. From up above, the city truly looked breathtaking. Peaceful, even as he remained far away from the loud congested crowds of people.

As beautiful as it looked from above, Metropolis was like any other big city and has more than its fair share of crime. However, this isn't about the Man of Steel but of another that roamed the city and protected the people in need when the Kryptonian was busy with another problem. His name is Sebastian Blackwell.

To call Sebastian a hero though, would be a reaching statement. He wasn't by any means a hero. At least, that's what he tells himself.

Sebastian, or Bash for short, isn't your average young man, not anymore for years now. You see, Bash has become something much more, something that very few knew about; a host to an alien symbiote that has bonded with him and resides within his body that goes by the name Venom.

A cool wind swept through the night sky, making the dark brown mop of hair dance around Bash's head as he peered down at the city below him.

Bash took a closer look at the streets down below and watched as the lively people went on with their lives as clearly as if he were looking through a magnifying glass. A perk of being bonded to the alien.

He could see a crowd of people crossing the busy street at a stoplight a little way down, he saw a group of teens crossing the street to a packed pizza parlor to meet up with their friends inside to have a good time and listen to the live band play for the patrons. Bash turned his gaze to another distant street where he watched some bums camping out in front of a liquor store in Suicide Slums, some with booze of their own in hand sitting on the sidewalk and drinking from the brown-bagged bottles while a few others asked customers going in or out of the liquor store for spare change while the corners were dotted with women flagging down any potential Johns willing to pay for a good time.

His sight wasn't the only thing enhanced. From every corner of the city, Bash could hear the nightlife of Gotham as if he was down on the streets apart of the goings down below. The city that never sleeps, he thought to himself with a smile.

 **"The city that never seems to sleep, indeed."** Said the deep inhuman voice of the symbiote as his head extended from Bash's body and gazed at the opposite direction. **"So noisy down there. Up here, it is peaceful and quiet. I like it up here."**

"I do too buddy."Bash smiled as a chuckle vibrated in his throat as he looked out to the city. His alien friend was right. Up here, it's so peaceful and quiet and the city itself looks so beautiful up above, away from all the hustle and bustle of the loud overpopulated city.

He could hear sounds ranging from the honking of impatient drivers stuck in traffic miles away across town to the intimate conversation between a loving couple walking together to the theater a few blocks away from where he perched himself.

"How's my six?" He asked his alien friend as his eyes flitted through the streets for any problems that might arise. Metropolis wasn't nearly as bad as Gotham City but it still has its fair share of crime, most of which was more than Metropolis PD was capable of handling. That's where he liked to step in.

 **"I hear police sirens. Not too far away."** the alien responded back.

"Where are they heading?" Bash asked as he turned to where Venom was looking out. Finding the swarm of police cars rushing down one of the many streets, he moved his gaze to see where they could be going and sure enough, he found the destination.

Over by the docks he could see the commotion that attracted the attention of the police. Looks like break time is over for him.

"Alright buddy, you ready for some action?" Bash asked his counterpart as he stood up from his spot on the high ledge of the building, resting his hands in the pockets of his worn black leather jacket as he turned his eyes from the city to the sky above him. It was a very beautiful night tonight.

 **"Definitely."** The alien responded joyfully.

Bash smiled at the response of his friend. "Then let's get going!"

The young man turned on his heels and walked away from the ledge of the building before he came to a halt, the gravel that covered the rooftop crunching under his shoes, stopping just over a half ways from the center of the flat rooftop before turning back around the way he came. Crouching down, Bash got himself into a running position.

He closed his eyes, relaxing his body and taking long deep breaths. Exhaling from his nose, Bash opened his eyes revealing that his steely grey eyes had become completely black. With one last exhale of breath, Bash sprinted across the rooftop, his body leaning forward to give him more speed.

The ledge was coming closer and fast but Bash had no intention of stopping. He readied himself for what was to happen when he reaches the end of the building.

Faster and faster he ran, building momentum until finally the ledge was under his feet and launched himself as hard as he could into the night air.

"WOOHOO!" Bash yelled over the roar of the wind as he flew through the air. This has always been his favorite part since he began doing this. The rush of jumping from one tall building to the next with nothing in between him and the ground but the five hundred foot drop to the streets below is both intoxicating and exhilarating.

Being hundreds of feet above the busy streets did not faze Bash at all by the height. He used to be terrified of heights, couldn't even stand near a high ledge without feeling dizzy and unsteady. But since bonding with Venom and the alien constantly taking him up to such great heights, Bash has become more comfortable, especially knowing that he has the means to catch himself should he fall.

He could feel his body descending toward the city and prepares to land on the building just ahead of him. Bash straightens his body and leans forward with his arms stretched outward to catch himself.

"Let's get our game face on!" Bash bellowed to the alien. As soon as he finished his sentence, he could feel the alien come out. The sleek rippling black goo that is the alien secreted from his skin and clothing and manifesting around his body as the alien revealed himself to the world.

Falling from such heights would break bones and tear flesh to any normal human. But for Bash, it had no such effect on him as he touched down onto the ledge with such graceful ease. His palms lightly pressed against the cold concrete roof and for a brief few seconds, his body did a handstand until he casually flipped himself back onto his feet with swift ease. He paused briefly as he took in his new look.

His body was now completely covered in the sleek black matter of the alien. Though his look was a little different. Knowing people wouldn't look well upon the massive hulking beast going around the city they reside in, Bash and Venom agreed to have a look that made him...slightly less frightening. That didn't mean Venom wasn't allowed to show his true self from time to time. That was saved for certain occasions for "special people" they encounter during their nightly sweeps through the cities they visit.

Now Venom appeared more form-fitting to Bash's lean toned body as to the taller, bulkier version that the symbiote truly becomes. The alien's mouth is not featured at all and his eyes remained the same shape with the only difference being that the white had bordered the eyes rather than completely filled it in. While his body was completely covered in the black mass, his chest has the large white symbol of a spider with the eight legs wrapping around to connect to the identical spider symbol emblazoned on his back.

It was one of the many looks they tried out over the years in the hopes of looking less scary to the general population. It wasn't by any means a ploy to gain the trust and admiration of the people but to seem less of a threat to them because it wouldn't matter to the people if you saved a million lives if you looked like a monster you would be treated as such. It's human nature. It was one of the reasons Bash left his old life in New York behind as well as every town and city between there and Gotham that he stayed in. Eventually, it will happen here and he would have to leave this city as well. It comes with the territory of this life of his.

Getting back on track, the symbiote and his host continued to make their way toward the docks and run across the rooftop of the building they landed on.

Faster! Faster! Higher! Higher! He'd tell himself as he sprinted across the rooftops and climbed up the concrete walls.

Reaching the next ledge, Bash again jumped off of it only this time, he wasn't aiming to land on the next building. Instead, he stretched out his right arm and a strand of black webbing shot out of the white patch on the back of his hand. The webbing caught an unmanned crane on the top of a partially finished building. With quick reflexes, Bash caught the web as soon as it was released and allowed him to swing through the city above the busy streets and allowed him to follow the squad of cop cars to the docks, hoping to get there before they did so he could do what he needed without their interference.

**xXx**

**xXx**

Thin rays of dusty light beamed through the broken windows of the warehouse as a group of men carrying guns patrolled the aisles of crates in the large room.

The men that weren't patrolling the warehouse were busy hauling the crates of weapons on to a ship docked not too far away outside of the warehouse.

Adrien, the apparent leader of the group, strutted around the corner from one of the walls of crates, a smug look fixed upon his ugly mug of a face as he looked around at his successful heist. The situation proved to be little to no problem once they subdued the dock workers, all he and his men had to do is brandish their weapons and kill a few to make a point. The ones that weren't killed were tied up and herded in an office.

The cops were still far away and wouldn't make it in time and if they did...well, that's where the hostages come in handy. Then there's the thought of how much money he was going to make off these weapons once he and his crew make it to safety and find a potential buyer. It almost made him giddy at the thought.

"How are we doing out there, boys?" Adrien asked over the comlink to his men working on loading the cargo. "Are we good to go?"

"Almost done boss." Came the muffled voice of one of his crew members on the ship. "We nearly have everything secured, we just gotta—"

The communication seemed to have disconnected. Or so the boss thought. Adrien waited a moment just in case the signal got interrupted. The moment passed to two and beyond, far longer than necessary so he decided to contact the men on the ship again. Just as he was about to make the call, he heard the sounds of screaming and gunfire not from the comm but from outside the warehouse.

It wasn't the police, he would have heard the sirens long ago. That was thing about cops, they are so loud. The only other explanation had to be one of those costumed vigilantes running and flying around and by the sounds of the commotion going on outside, he is safe to assume it to be the Man of Steel himself.

Just as quickly as it began, the gunfire and yells died down until there was nothing but the sound of the eerie silence between the inhabitants of the room and the harbor beyond the walls.

"AJ?" Adrien called out through the comm. His voice riddled with worry. "AJ, what's going on out there?"

Only static coming through. No voices or anything. He was now becoming more worried about what was out there.

Adrien stood up to full height, keeping his eyes fixed on the metal doors and cleared his throat.

"Sergio! Monty!" he quickly glanced at the two men to his right. His voice strong and commanding as he gave the order, hoping to hide the worry he was attempting to hide. "Go and see what is going on out there. Everyone else, be ready for anything that comes out of that door!"

The two men hesitated to go first but nodded and made their way across the room. The last thing they wanted was to tangle with the Man of Steel but to defy their boss was just as dangerous. At least Superman was above killing.

They stopped when they reached the doors, both reluctant to open the door and see what was on the other side. Looking back, they could see everyone else ready to take on whatever might be on the other side of the metal doors.

Both slowly reached out and carefully pushed down on the door handles when they saw their boss nod to open the doors.

As soon as the lock clicked, the doors swung open with such force that the two guys were sent flying and landing on their backs with a painful thud on the damp concrete floor.

Adrien was shocked seeing his two men being thrown back but he did not let that distract him from the intruder that stood in the doorway. It certainly wasn't any of the masked heroes he has seen all over the news. This is a new guy.

Adrien didn't know what to make of this guy. Was he even a hero? He didn't exactly give off that heroic vibe that others like Superman does.

"Who're you?!" Adrien asked the intruder, his voice wavered in the presence. This guy definitely isn't the Man of Steel or any of the other costumed heroes running around. This guy, with his all black suit that covered him head to toe, giving off zero evidence of what he is underneath that mask. If it is even a mask. Adrien couldn't tell with all the aliens and metahumans running around.

"Oh sorry. I take it you were expecting another guy in a form-fitting outfit." The intruder responded to the question like he was surprised. "Blue suit. Red cape. Wears his undies on the outside and has an overwhelming sense of honor and justice? Yeah sorry, you called the wrong guy."

That was more than enough information that Adrien needed and all this exposition has gone on far too long. This has to end now. Hopefully, this guy isn't bulletproof.

"SHOOT HIM!" Adrien yelled at his men. As soon as the order was given, the warehouse was filled with the deafening sounds of gunfire and bullets piercing through every surface.

The intruder staggered back as he was pelted with bullets and fell back onto the ground, lying motionless.

Adrien motioned for everyone to cease fire once the body collapsed. Good to know the guy isn't bulletproof.

Or so he thought.

There was a moment when all was still and calm and in that moment, Adrien felt he had succeeded in taking down the intruder and could resume his business.

Then he saw it. The intruder's sleek black hand suddenly raised up in the air and in his grasp was a metal canister that he recognized well. The hand crushed the canister with ease and releasing a cloud of smoke that rapidly grew around him and the nearby area, consuming him and everyone around him, including the boss and his men.

Blind to their surroundings, the gunmen were wary to shoot in fear of shooting each other. Even Adrien waited to give any commands because he feared getting shot by his own men.

"Hold your fire!" he ordered his men when he heard a few rounds go off. "Flares!"

He wasn't completely ill-prepared. In this career, expecting the unexpected is crucial and he is very good at it. His men tossed the lit flares into various places to give them some form of sight for them.

The flares were lit and allowed a bit of sight but the thickness of the smoke still remained troublesome.

The men remained at the ready as they slowly swept the area around them.

"Does anybody see him?" one of them asked but no one could respond for a confirmation.

Adrien kept a careful eye as he slowly moved around the warehouse with his men, hoping that his sight would catch a glimpse of the vigilante toying with them.

"Dodson, do you see anything?" Adrien asked the man on his left, watching the man from the corner of his eye.

"Nothing boss." Dodson responded to the question. His voice wavered a bit as he remained ever vigilant, obviously afraid of what was hiding in the smoke. "I can't see a damn—AHHH!"

Adrien jerked his head to his left and witnessed his man being pulled away into the thick smoke but not before seeing what looked like a tentacle wrapped around Dodson's torso.

His eyes widened at the shocking sight he witnessed. He could feel his pulse racing and heart pounding against his chest as fear began to set within him. What the hell was he dealing with?

Hearing more screams, Adrien turned around to see two more of his men getting pulled away out of sight and then being thrown back out like ragdolls.

Looking in another direction he saw the intruder running at two of his other men and grabbing them with ease in each hand. The black suited figure then jumped up and twirled in the air before tossing the two guys into a wall of crates that shattered on impact.

One by one his men were being taken down. Adrien couldn't believe it. He and his men are former soldiers and yet somehow they are all being taken down by one person. God, is this guy even human?

Adrien caught a glimpse of the intruder jumping out of the smoke and grabbed another guy and threw him across the room before pouncing on another, flipping them both before tossing him into another guy.

The commotion eventually died down, giving Adrien and what remained of his team time to regroup. Coming together, he saw it was only him and three others left. All of them moved close with their backs against each other to keep an eye out on all sides.

"I got no eyes on him!" came a wary voice from Matthews. This was getting to be too much for Adrien to deal with. This was supposed to be an easy job, like all the others have been in the past.

The warehouse was still silent. Far too silent for Adrien's comfort. Unease was gradually overtaking him and his men as they could not find the vigilante.

"Where is it?!" a panicked Garcia asked. His hands shaking the gun in his grasp.

As if it was responding to the question, the intruder jumped down in front of them, causing all four of them to turn to him and shoot. A futile attempt.

Not only did the bullets do nothing to him, they were absorbed into his body. He didn't so much as flinch at each impact.

When the guns ran out of ammunition, the black-suited intruder shot a string of black webbing from his outstretched hands and even more shocking than that was the two black tendrils shooting out from each side of his torso that grabbed the guns from all four men and pulling the weapons back toward him.

When the webbing was pulled back to the vigilante, it rolled the weapons up like a ball, a ball that he threw back with amazing force that knocked Adrien and his three other men to the ground, separating themselves from each other.

Adrien landed on his side and slid across the concrete floor until his body collided into something soft. Getting up, he found that soft something was in fact Dodson, dead, his eyes were still open and glazed over and blood pooling beneath his head resting on the floor.

Hearing his other comrades scream in terror at being attacked again, he needed to find something to end this and get out of here.

His eyes returning to Dodson, he went through the lifeless body, hoping to find something, anything to give him and advantage.

His hands finally found what he needed, the feeling of the round metal casing brought a wave of relief over him as he brought the grenade out in the open. Now all he needed to do was find the son of a bitch to throw it at.

He nearly stumbled getting back up, his left leg got banged up pretty bad in the fall but he was determined to end this on his terms.

Limping through the now dissipating smoke, Adrien surveyed the clearing area, only finding the scattered remains of his men and debris from the containers that were destroyed in the fight.

A sudden scream made Adrien turn around witness the black-suited vigilante lifting a struggling Garcia up in the air with one hand.

"HEY!" Adrien yelled, getting the attention he needed. The intruder turned to his direction, tossing Garcia to the side before making his way to him.

Adrien waited for the right time and when it came, he removed the pin and threw the grenade at the incoming figure and crouched in a fetal position to protect himself as best he could.

The grenade went off with a loud bang and a flash of fire erupted followed and a loud inhuman screech filling the room. It was a sound Adrien wasn't expecting to hear.

When it all seemed silent, Adrien got up from the ground and observed his surroundings for any more surprises. As he looked around, he found what he was truly looking for.

Lying on the ground, was the black-suited figure, unmoving.

Limping over, he got a better look at the guy that had taken down all his men. That caused him a lot of trouble.

"You don't look so tough." Adrien snorted triumphantly as he looked down at the masked guy. Speaking of the mask...maybe it was time to see who is behind it. To see if it is even a human behind the mask. "But you were a serious pain in the ass."

Crouching down beside the unconscious body, Adrien raised a hand over the vigilante's face, hoping the mask wasn't attached to the rest of the suit.

Just as his fingers were about to grab ahold of the mask a jet black hand grabbed Adrien by the throat and wrapped around his neck.

Gasping for air and struggling to be released, Adrien watched the horrifying sight of the intruder not only waking up but becoming something else.

His body became bigger, bulkier and taller. The white border of his eyes filled in. What scared him the most was the mouth. What was once absent has appeared, looking like a big smile from ear to ear with big sharp teeth and a long tongue that retracted back into his mouth after this...transformation.

Adrien had never been so scared in his life. This thing is the stuff of nightmares and it was holding him tightly and far too close to that big wide mouth.

 **"You smell positively delicious."** the creature said in a deep gravelly demonic sounding voice as he smiled at the terrified man. **"Eyes. Lungs. Pancreas. So many snacks. I don't know where to start. The head maybe? I could use the brain boost."**

The creature opened its mouth and slithering its long tongue out towards the man's face. Adrien panicked even more at the touch of the warm muscle sliding around his face. Oh God, this was it. This is how he is going to die. Being eaten alive.

He wanted to scream and beg for his life but nothing came out of his constricted throat apart from a few gasps of air.

"I think you scared him enough buddy." came another voice but Adrien didn't know from where. One that sounded more human. The voice from the vigilante. Was it coming from inside this monster?

"We better go before the cops see us."

He was right, the distant sound of police sirens could be heard growing louder as they approached the harbor.

The creature dropped Adrien on the ground, making land on his bad leg that resulted in him toppling to the ground with a painful cry.

Looking up, he saw the creature looking down at him. God, it is so tall. It pointed a long sharp finger at him.

 **"You will not speak of us to the police."** the creature ordered Adrien. **"Or we will meet again and it will not end well for you."**

Adrien shook his trembling head and watched the creature leaped up to the rafters and jump out of the window into the night.

Not long after did the police come through, flashlights and guns at the ready.

Adrien never felt so happy and relieved to see cops. Relieved, he raised his trembling hands in surrender.

"What the hell happened here?" one of the officers asked as they scoured the area for anyone else, seeing all the bodies and debris all over the warehouse.

Adrien shook his head after they arrested him and put him in cuffs.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." he responded, making damn sure to hold up his end of the bargain.

**xXx**

**xXx**

It was fortunate that the moon was only half full tonight, giving Bash and Venom just enough cover to travel the night above the city. It would not be good for them if someone were to see a big hulking monster roaming around.

Climbing up high atop the sky scrapers, they jumped from building to building until he found where he needed to go. Jumping down the building, Venom shot out a web that caught a flagpole and allowed him to swing down to the ground of a deserted alleyway.

As soon as he touched down, the symbiote retreated back in Bash's body allowing the young man to appear as himself once again. Looking around to make sure he was alone and his identity remains a secret.

Seeing that no one was around, Bash made his way down the alleyway and back onto the street. Walking down the sidewalk some ways, Bash stopped at his parked motorcycle.

Swinging one leg over the vehicle, Bash sat on the black leather seat of the black Ducati Scrambler and inserted the key into the ignition.

The bike came to life and Bash revved the engine a few times before turning out of the parking spot and into the street to blend in with the other vehicles on the road.

"You don't think we were too harsh on those guys, do ya?" Bash asked over the roar of the wind flying by him as he passed in between the cars on the road to get to his destination.

 **"Not at all."** The symbiote replied. **"I think we let that puny human and his men off far too easily. All of that playing has made me hungry."**

Bash chuckled at the response. Of course after a fight like the one they just had, the symbiote would have worked up an appetite. He was feeling a bit peckish as well after a long night of patrolling. A long boring night.

Apart from the altercation in the warehouse, all was fairly calm in Gotham. At least, for this city. A small robbery here and a few muggings there was all that the duo dealt with as they continued to patrol the streets.

It was around three in the morning when the two returned to the loft they lived in with a bag of fast food in one hand and a box of chocolate bars in the other. Half of the chocolate was already gone by the time they made it home.

After locking the front door, Bash made his way through the residence. It's a fairly nice place within the Downtown district but it was practically empty with only the essentials taking up space due to his nomadic lifestyle. It was easier for him to keep a few things in case he has to get out of dodge. A situation that he has become accustomed to over these last few years.

Crossing the living area, Bash made his way to the kitchen and opening the fridge and looking through the few things the cold storage contained until his eyes fell on the bottles of beer pushed to the back.

"I suppose I should offer you a drink." Bash said as he took out two bottles of the beverage and faced the darkness that engulfed the rest of the loft. "I'm sure sitting there for a while has made you thirsty."

Bash turned on the light to reveal whom he spoke to. Sitting at the small kitchen table on the other side of the room was a young man he recognized as his brother, Robbie Mercer. Step-brother actually but neither young men has thought of each other as that for a long time.

Robbie hasn't changed much in the years since Bash last saw him. His black beard appeared more prominent on his square jaw than he remembered but he kept it trimmed to a close shave and his short black hair more neatly kept and his outfit gave him a more mature look. As the owner of Mercer Industries and being so young it was important that he look the part in order to be taken seriously. Especially when a multi-billion company depends on it.

"I helped myself to some coffee some time ago." He raised the mug half-filled with the hot beverage. "I didn't realize I would be waiting for you for such a long time."

The two stared at each other in tense silence. Both waited to see who would make the first move if anyone would move. After a couple of minutes, A smile formed on Bash's lips and only got larger when Robbie began to smile and laugh with Bash. The man got up and walked over to Bash and embraced him in a brotherly hug.

"You know Robbie, when I gave you my location, it was so that you would have some peace of mind." Bash said as he broke away from his brother. "Not to come to said location."

"Well…" Robbie let out a slightly over exaggerated sigh. "Maybe I wanted to see my big bro after four years."

 **"What about me?"** Venom asked, his head appearing from behind Bash and giving the newcomer a wide toothy grin. **"Did you miss me?"**

Robbie remained undisturbed by the sight. He knows of his brother's bond with the alien and what they do in their spare time.

"Of course I did Ven." he smiled back at the alien. "It's good to see you too."

"So, what brings you here?" Bash asked his brother. "Is mom all right?"

Robbie respected Bash's wishes to not come looking for him unless it was absolutely important.

"Mom's good." Robbie assured him, much to Bash's relief. Valerie Mercer is not Bash's biological mother but in fact his step-mother, though much like the relationship between him and Robbie, the relationship between him and Valerie had developed into a strong familial bond that made them comfortable to call each other mother and son even though they are not related by blood. "She took over granddad's law firm when he retired about two years ago."

"Mason stepped down?" Bash was surprised to hear that. Mason Bennett is considered a bulldog of an attorney for his aggressive but successful tactics that have made him a rich and powerful man in New York with many in high society as his clients. The man loved his job. Bash recalled the many times the man would leave family functions whenever a client called or would arrive late or not at all because of his work. "I didn't think he would ever willingly retire. I figured he would die in a courthouse."

"I never said he retired willingly." Robbie chuckled and took a sip of the coffee. "Two heart attacks, a triple bypass and a threat of divorce finally convinced him to hand over the keys to his kingdom to mom and head upstate to enjoy the peaceful life of fresh air and golf in the countryside. He absolutely hates it."

"I don't doubt it." Bash smiled back. "What about Liz? How are the two of you doing?"

Robbie didn't answer right away. The smile he had only grew bigger as he lowered his gaze to the coffee mug.

"It's great." Robbie finally said and looking back up. "Really great. I uh...I asked her to marry me. And she said yes."

"What!" Bash said excitedly. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His brother had finally popped the question to Liz. Since High School, Robbie and his girlfriend, Liz Allen, have had this on again off again relationship that made everyone they knew wonder why they kept going back to each other. It did not seem ideal but the truth is, no relationship is ideal. Another truth is, they loved each other. When they were together, sure they would fight and argue over dumb bullshit but they were also madly in love with eachother and would be lovey dovey and passionate and when they broke up, they would be absolutely miserable people apart from eachother and would not even try to date other people. If there were two people meant for eachother, it was Robbie and Liz. Bash was glad that they finally realized it.

"I can't believe it!" Bash rushed over and gave his brother a big hug. "What finally made you decide to pop the question?"

"Well…" Robbie sighed, the smile still plastered on his goofy looking face. He looked like a man truly in love and Bash could not be more happier for his younger brother. "That's the second bombshell for you...Liz is pregnant."

Bash felt his jaw drop the indeed second bombshell that fell on him. Instinctively, Bash grabbed his brother for a second hug.

"Oh shit, man! Congratulations!" Bash laughed. "Wait...you're not marrying her because she is pregnant, right?"

Bash pulled out of the hug to give a warning gaze at his brother. He wanted to make sure that Robbie was not doing this out of obligation and was marrying Liz out of love. Robbie of all people knew what marrying out of obligation can do to a family as he was a product of that.

"Of course I am marrying her because I love her." Robbie explained. "I actually bought the ring weeks before Liz told me the news. I was already planning on asking her on her birthday. It turns out we both got great gifts that day."

Bash's gaze softened as he could see Robbie was telling him the truth. No upticks in Robbies heartbeat that he could hear. No nervous mannerisms that Bash caught. Robbie truly did ask Liz out of love.

"Sorry man, I had to ask." Bash chuckled and gave his brother a pat and a squeeze on the shoulder. Robbie nodded his head in understanding.

"Hey, I get it." Robbie raised his hands. "Mom and Dad married out of obligation due to a family arrangement between them and...yeah, they loved each other eventually, it still wasn't ideal for them. I would not have asked Liz to marry me if I wasn't certain."

"Well again, congrats little brother." Bash smiled. "I bet Valerie is really excited to be a grandma."

"Oh man, mom was so happy she was bawling and hugging me and Liz over and over again, you would have thought she had won the lottery." Robbie laughed. "She keeps calling Liz everyday asking how she and the baby are doing and plan outings to go to baby stores and bridal stores and whatnot. They both love it. Since Liz's mom died when she was young and mom never had a daughter, they have been doing that mother-daughter bonding stuff. It's been great."

"I'm glad they are getting along." Bash said as he leaned back into the wooden dining chair. "As great as it is to see you and the news you brought me…"

"But you are wondering why I didn't just tell you over Facetime or Skype?" Robbie smirked as he finished the sentence for Bash. Bash shrugged in a "well, sorry" kind of way but he could tell there were no hard feelings.

"Funny you should ask." Robbie lightly slapped the table with the palm of his hand. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He tapped on the screen a few times before turning the device around to face his brother and the alien. Curiosity struck both human and symbiote as their eyes instantly went to the bright screen.

The screen showed a video of heavily armed people running around shooting into a thick cloud of smoke. Bash didn't need to think hard to know what this footage is from. One of the hostages at the warehouse had managed to break free from their bondage and recorded the fight and sent the footage to The Daily Planet that was posted on their social media site.

The footage revealed the fight from above in the office on the second floor of the warehouse where the hostages were held up. It didn't show much from the awkward angle the phone was being held and the cloud of smoke that engulfed the floor and spread through the aisles of stacked cargo. What it lacked in sight, the video made up for it with the audio. The audio of the video was perfectly clear, allowing anyone that watched to listen to the sounds of men screaming and gunfire shooting off in all directions.

Then the smoke began to clear and the video began to reveal what the audio was telling the viewers. Bodies and debris littered the floor. Those that were still conscious were either crawling or running away, only to be pulled back by a shiny black tendril wrapping around their bodies and throwing them around the warehouse.

Then he saw it, clear as day. Him, big and bulky and scaring the life out of a grown man he was holding up in the air with one hand, looking as if he was about to toss the man into the wide open mouth.

He could hear the people in the office sounding terrified at the sight they were seeing. He couldn't blame them. Bash knew better than to let that part of him and Venom be seen but when that guy used that grenade, it triggered Venom's natural instincts to defend himself and appear as himself.

The headline for the video asks a question that will create a shitstorm for him: What is this monster?

Bash sighed and shook his head. This always happens eventually. At some point or another, he is going to be seen and he is going to terrify the city he tries to help.

"Monster." he muttered as he read the headline again. He should be used to the label, it has been with him for years now. Not long after this comes the time when he should move before he gets any more publicity. This video right here already shows too much of him.

"So, where are you going to go now?" Bash heard Robbie asked. He removed his gaze from the screen to look at his brother. Robbie knew the drill. Ever since he left New York, Bash figured his brother would keep track of him using all the technology Mercer Industries to track him down. Bash knew Robbie was never going to stop looking out for him so he decided to check in with him whenever he found a new residence to let him know he is alright. It was also a way to keep this, his family, from coming to him. There is a reason he left home.

"I don't know yet." Bash replied as he took a seat at his table. Robbie did the same and took the seat opposite of his brother. "I'll know when I get on the road."

Robbie stared at his brother for a moment and huffed a small breath of air through his nostrils before asking him another question.

"Who are you going to be in this new city?" Robbie asked him. "Lee Price? Edward Brock? Angelo Fortunato? I am pretty sure those names are becoming overused by now."

Bash didn't say anything but kept looking at the screen, paused at him and Venom held up that guy.

"Your silence doesn't give me reassurance that you know what you're doing." Robbie told him. "Bro, I worry about you. A lot. These random once-in-a-bluemoon messages telling us that you're okay isn't good enough."

"This is what I do, Robbie!" Bash exclaimed, getting up from the wooden chair and paced a few steps before turning back around. "This is how I live now! I need to keep a low profile."

"But you don't have to!" Robbie got up from his seat as well. "Everything has calmed down now. SHIELD is currently being rebuilt with their top priority trying to find all the HYDRA agents that scattered across the world. I even talked with both Fury and Coulson personally and both said that you and Venom are free to come and go as you please. You don't have to live like this!"

Bash shook his head and sighed.

"That's not why Robbie and you know that."

Robbie's gaze softened as he understood what his brother meant.

"Gwen would not want you to live like this. Alone. Ostracizing yourself from society. She would want you to move on with life and be the hero you are meant to be."

"I am not a hero." Bash muttered and shook his head. "Heroes save people. I don't do that."

"Really? Because this video shows you taking out bad guys and saving the hostages...despite calling you a monster."

"Heroes don't do what I do." Bash reminded his brother of what he did to those bad guys and the many others in the past. He is far from being like the many heroes that he fought alongside years ago. He is violent and there is no changing that.

"But you're not a bad guy either." Robbie countered. "You're in that moral grey area that is necessary for this day and age."

"Is this why you came here?" Bash asked. "To give me some pep talk to get me to go back home?"

"Well...not home. Not to New York anyway. I know you don't want to come back and I can respect that."

Robbie's response confused Bash. Whenever they talked, Robbie tries to convince him to come back to New York. Even their mother would chime in and ask him to come home but he always told them that he couldn't. He caused too much trouble in New York to keep living there being what he is. Then the city alone holds too many memories that he doesn't want to remember. Going back has never been an option since he left.

Yet, his brother is telling him that he is not trying to get him to go back to New York but he is wanting him to go somewhere else.

Fortunately for him, Robbie didn't make Bash wait for the answer.

"Mercer Industries has been doing good. Really good, actually. So much so that the board and I have decided to expand the business beyond New York and open another. I was hoping that maybe you would help me with that."

"So you can keep an eye on me?" Bash asked suspiciously.

Robbie chuckled at his brother's cynical nature. He seems to have grown more so since they last saw each other.

"So I can grow the company. With Liz pregnant, I don't want to leave New York. I don't want to be like dad and have work take over my life. I want to be there to help with the baby and enjoy my life with my future wife. I also don't want to put someone I don't trust in charge of this new branch."

Bash didn't know what to say to this offer. It isn't that it was never on the table but after bonding with the symbiote, Bash's father pushed him to use this gift, this power, to become a hero while he pushed Robbie to be his successor and use the company to make the world a better place. Two sons saving the world on different fronts. Well...one out of two isn't too bad. Robbie has been doing so much good since he began running the company while he has been...well...doing what he can.

"Robbie, I left New York to keep you and mom safe." Bash said to his brother. "Working together could put you, mom and now Liz in danger. I can't stop doing what I do and I can't expose what I am."

"And I'm not asking you to stop doing what you do." Robbie responded back to Bash. "I understand that and it doesn't change the fact that I want my big brother to help me run the family business. You're a Mercer. You may not have the name but you are still dad's son too and he would want you to be a part of the family business. "

"I appreciate it but Ven and I have been doing pretty good on our own."

"Yeah I can see that." Robbie retorted as he glanced around the near-barren loft. "Living in empty spaces. Never settling down for too long because you are always on the run. What if I told you that the city I am placing the branch in is a place so riddled in crime and corruption that your actions will slip under the radar. Would you consider the offer?"

"The city sounds like a bad place to set up a company." Bash scoffed.

"Well actually, until recently, a very successful business was thriving in said city until the owner bought out his share of the company and left. For a while, it did very well, but the company's board made some poor business decisions and well...things took a turn for the worse and left them in financial distress."

"And left them open for a hostile takeover." Bash was beginning to make sense of everything his brother was implying. "So, how hostile was your takeover of Wayne Enterprises?"

Bash was not so under a rock that he did not know about the hardships that Wayne Enterprises had been going through for a while. It was big news that an institution like Wayne Enterprises was going belly up and the board was to blame.

"It was hardly hostile." Robbie said matter-of-factly. "The board was getting so much bad publicity for destroying such a well established business that they were willing to accept anyone willing to clean up the mess they made. I agreed to the purchase under the condition that the current Board members be removed and replaced with those of Mercer Industries choosing. They did not like that condition but in the end, they realized it was for the best. They are able to happily retire and get away from the scrutiny of the business world."

"The deal was made last week," Robbie continued. "and it will be announced in a month about the new ownership. Wayne Enterprises and all of it's assets will belong to Mercer Industries and I want you to be co-owner of the company and run the Gotham branch."

Bash let out a sigh. He was not too sure about this. He wanted to help his brother out but this was all too risky. He would be put in the spotlight, something he did not like in the beginning when he was finally introduced to his father and placed in the world of New York's high society. He was fine with being in the shadows of his brother and late father, it gave him more room to be the vigilante his father wanted him to be without worry of exposure.

"You're probably thinking how you can possibly fight crime and be a head of a multi-billion dollar corporation," Robbie said. It astounded Bash how astute his brother has become. Taking over the family business has really done wonders for a clueless self-centered guy that Robbie used to be. "Well, as it turns out it is entirely possible. Bruce Wayne himself said so because he was Batman."

Bash was not expecting the sudden news and choked on his beer.

"What!" Bash sputtered in between coughs as he tried to clear his burning throat. "Bruce is Batman!"

"Yeah, I was shocked myself when he told me but it did make sense. He would always vouch for the guy and whenever property got damaged in the fights Batman was in, he would always pay for it. Bruce did a lot of good things for Gotham and as it turns out, he did more for the city when he put on that suit."

"Bruce Wayne…" Bash sighed and shook his head. He knew Bruce Wayne pretty well, as did Robbie. Being children of wealthy families, you tend to run in the same circle and attend the same schools. William Mercer, Bash and Robbie's father, was good friends with Thomas Wayne, having gone to college together and even collaborated on many projects in their early years of running their families individual businesses. As for Bruce, Robbie and Bash knew him from various functions they were forced to attend and attended Illithya Prep together, though, Bash did not attend until High School when he had to live with his father.

Bash remembered the day they found out Bruce's parents were murdered. He was shocked. He remembered Thomas and Martha Wayne as nice and caring parents to Bruce and one of the few wealthy families that did not see Bash as a bastard son of a wealthy man.

Bruce himself had drastically changed from the cheerful carefree kid to a quiet stoic individual. Bruce did not return to Illithya Prep after his parents death and stayed in Gotham to attend the Prep school there until High School when he returned to Illithya Prep, for a short while. A fellow student made a jab about Bruce's parents that resulted in Bruce breaking the student's arm and knocking him out. The altercation resulted in Bruce's expulsion and return to Gotham. Neither Robbie nor Bash had seen Bruce for years. After college, instead of taking over his father's company, Bruce ended up travelling the world. After a seven year absence, Bruce returned and took control of Wayne Enterprises, impressing the world on how well the company is doing under his ownership and surprised by his support of the caped crusader fighting crime in his city.

"How do you know this?" Bash asked his brother, the thought only occurring to him just now. Bruce did such a good job of hiding this side of his life, he was sure that Bruce would do everything to make sure this secret was kept hidden.

"Bruce told me himself." Robbie shrugged his shoulders. "While considering the idea of buying his company, I called Bruce to make sure it was okay and he was more than okay about the purchase. When I told him I was considering having you take charge of the branch, he thought it was a great idea. Made a comment that you would fit in Gotham very nicely. The only request he had was that you don't kill the criminals. The whole point of his Batman persona was to show that justice can be served even in a crime-filled city like Gotham."

Bash stared in a tense silence at his brother. Robbie gave him a knowing look in return. Bash has never done vigilante work in Gotham, so the notion of Batman...or Bruce, possibly knowing the truth about him was a surprise that Bash did not know how to feel.

Robbie sighed and relaxed into his chair. "I think considering a man with a secret as big as yours is nothing to worry about."

"No." Bash quietly clicked his tongue. "No, I guess not. But I have to question what he knows and if anyone else does."

"It's Bruce...and Batman." Robbie shook his head and smiled. "He has connections as both identities. He probably heard about you from one of his super pals and did his own digging on you, the mysterious vigilante. He's a smart guy and managed to deduce who you are. I am pretty sure he is the only other hero that knows who you are and he isn't going to say anything. Bruce gave me his word and he thinks you will be a great replacement as Gotham's latest protector."

Bash chuckled at his brother's title for him. While still unsure of the offer, it was an honor to receive such a compliment from someone like Batman.

"Look. You can be Sebastian Blackwell, Co-owner of Gotham City's branch of Mercer Industries by day and be a vigilante by night. What do you say? Gotham is riddled in crime. It has only gotten worse now that Batman isn't there to watch over the city. Gotham bad guys are not like the ordinary bad guys you have been dealing with. These are real deal baddies were talking about. The city needs a hero—someone like you and Venom to keep the criminals at bay."

Bash could also see that his brother really wanted him to join in on the family business. This was an amazing proposition Robbie was offering.

 **"Sounds like the perfect place for us."** Venom's deep fluid voice chimed in. Bash was surprised that Venom hasn't spoken up until now. Normally, the symbiote would have already given his opinions on the matter, whether it was agreeing with Bash or not. Mostly not.

Bash knew about Gotham as much as any outsider would know about the city. He also knew that it had Batman calling dibs on the city. While Metropolis indeed had Superman watching over the city, he did not deal with criminals the way Batman does. Bash understands not wanting to hurt people but sometimes, non-lethal violence is the answer that violent criminals will respond to, especially the most vile ones. Batman had the right idea. Which is why Gotham PD is having such a hard time since Batman has been gone.

Gotham does sound enticing. The city is riddled with overwhelming criminal activity that it would be a perfect place to fight crime, a great place to learn a non-lethal approach to criminals. On the other hand, it would also draw a lot of attention to him, being the new crime fighter that isn't Batman, taking up his position. He would be all over the news as both

 **"I want to give Gotham a taste of Venom."** The alien added, giving a wide toothy grin. **"It sounds like the kind of city we would fit in nicely."**

"You heard your partner." Robbie pointed at the alien head stretching out from Bash's back. "He thinks it's a good idea and so do I. You need a city that will accept you. A city you can finally lay some roots in. Be a city's crime fighter. Prove to those that call you a monster that that isn't what you are."

Robbie stared at Bash with hope in his slate grey eyes that his brother would say yes. Even Venom's pure white eyes looked hopeful that he would agree with the two.

There were still many uncertainties that were plaguing Bash to take the offer but the only way to know for sure what will come of them is to go to Gotham City and be its crime fighter.

"Well, if Venom wants to go, then I guess I have to as well." Bash sighed.

"So you'll go?" Robbie asked, a smile growing with excitement. "You'll go to Gotham?"

Bash nodded his head. "Yup. It looks like it."

"Whoo!" Robbie cheered and clapped his hands together. He shot up and went over to Bash, grabbing him for a big crushing hug. Even Venom stretched out some more to wrap himself around them in an embrace.

"Don't get too excited," Bash chuckled and gave his brother a pat on the back. "I have little experience in running a multi-billion dollar company. I am sure the word "nepotism" is going to be tossed around when this is announced."

"Don't worry about the experience." Robbie waved his hand at the comment. "The Board really does the heavy lifting and the experience will come naturally. As for the accusations of nepotism, we'll just have to prove them wrong. Your Williams Mercer's son, just like me. Success is in both of us. When the time comes, it will be proven that you are just as good as dad was. Even better than him."

"God, I hope so," Bash chortled and took a swig of his beer. "With what you went through after taking over the company, I don't think I can deal with the press and that uptight Board that thought they were going to take charge."

"Yeah, it was tough." Robbie clicked his tongue and tapped on the table top. "A lot of members were vultures ready to sweep down and slandered me at every turn to the already biased press but it helped to know there were indeed people that were loyal to dad and helped me prove that I am capable and that's what I am going to do for you. You have the qualifications, you just need the experience. You've managed the media division. Now, you just need to put that experience toward managing an entire branch."

"That shouldn't be too hard." Bash rolled his eyes.

"It'll work big bro, I promise." Robbie assured Bash. "It's going to be great to work with you."

"Yeah it will." Bash smiled. He had to admit, ten years ago, he would never have thought this conversation would ever happen between him and Robbie. They had such a rocky beginning that looked like they would never get along. Tragedy and trauma that came along with them growing up made them put things into perspective that helped them bridge that gap between them and become brothers that their father wanted them to be.

"So," Bash said heavily after downing the remnants of his beer. "When do we leave?"

**Author's Note:**

> So, the next chapter will actually be in Gotham and will be a bit of a time jump of two years. I want to have Bash established in Gotham with people already knowing who he is as co-owner of Mercer Industries and having Venom revered in the criminal world.  
> That's all I have to say for now. If you have any questions or comments, please leave a review or message me and I will respond when I can.


End file.
